Tanzania's MeTL Group Plans to Commission a Graphite Processing Plant with an Annual Capacity of 50,000 Tons Within One Year
en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mohammed Dewji, CEO of Tanzania's MeTL Group, stated at the Africa Unlocked 2026 conference hosted by Standard Bank in Cape Town that the company expects to commission a graphite processing plant within the next year, with an annual output of approximately 50,000 tons and a purity of about 95%.
Dewji revealed that the group's medium- to long-term goal is to invest approximately $250 million to upgrade graphite purity to battery-grade standards of 99.5%, supplying global markets while creating higher industrial value for Africa. He noted that graphite is a critical mineral for electric vehicles, battery energy storage, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing, with its core value lying in processing rather than mining.
The African Development Bank stated that Africa holds approximately 24% of the world's known natural graphite reserves and is becoming an increasingly important part of the global graphite supply chain, as well as a key alternative to China's market dominance. Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania host Africa's largest graphite projects, with several other African countries also advancing exploration efforts.
Headquartered in Dar es Salaam, the MeTL Group operates across agriculture, manufacturing, trade, logistics, and financial services, with operations in 11 African countries and annual revenues exceeding $2 billion. Dewji emphasized that Africa's long-standing model of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods is unsustainable. Every time unprocessed raw materials are exported, it also means exporting jobs, skills, technology, and economic value. The world is refocusing on Africa's critical minerals, with some calling it a new scramble for Africa's resources, but this time Africa must write a different story.
Now in its third year, this edition of the Africa Unlocked conference, themed "Made in Africa: Amplifying Continental Growth," is hosted by Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking. It brings together over 140 business leaders, policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs from Africa and global markets to explore action pathways for accelerating trade, investment, and sustainable economic growth in Africa.
